Detectives and CPS condemn 'cowardly' Wirral gunman Connor Chapman

Following a 16-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Chapman, 23, of Houghton Road, Woodchurch, was also found guilty of attempted murder, wounding with intent to cause GBH and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

He previously pleaded guilty to one count of handling stolen goods in relation to the Mercedes car used on the night of the shooting.

Thomas Waring, 20, of Private Drive in Barnston, was found guilty of possession of a prohibited weapon and assisting an offender in relation to the murder.

Thomas Waring, 20, of Private Drive in Barnston, was found guilty of possession of a prohibited weapon and assisting an offender in relation to the murder. (Image: Merseyside Police)

Sentencing will take place tomorrow (Friday, July 7).

Elle, 26, was fatally wounded after being shot while standing outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey at just before midnight on Christmas Eve last year.

After firing the gun Chapman left the scene in a stolen Mercedes which was later found burnt out. He was arrested on January 10th this year in a supermarket in Wales.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Paul Grounds said: “Chapman has continued to deny his involvement in Elle’s death forcing her family to endure the ordeal of a trial where they have had to relive over and over the last moments of her life.

"His cowardly actions on that night rightly shocked the whole of Merseyside and the UK. To fire at his intended targets while they were stood outside in a crowd shows the arrogance and contempt he had for anyone else.

“He then tried to evade justice by taking himself off to Wales where he was eventually detained two weeks after Elle’s murder.

“He has continued to deny his guilt throughout the trial but the jury has seen through his lies and righty convicted him.

“I am pleased that we have secured justice for Elle and her family and that a dangerous man has been removed from the streets of Merseyside.

“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Elle’s family who throughout this whole investigation and the trial have remained dignified and composed despite being forced to relive the horrific events of Christmas Eve. I hope that now they can start to properly grieve their loss.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the investigation team for their continued hard work and commitment and to the Crown Prosecution Service and in particular Nigel Power KC and Katy Appleton for successful prosecution of the case."

Adam Clarke, Specialist Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire’s Complex Casework Unit, added: "The murder of Elle Edwards has devastated a community and left her family and friends distraught by her loss.

"The Crown Prosecution Service’s case was that the dreadful shooting of Elle Edwards was not a random or inexplicable act.

"Elle Edwards was simply enjoying a night out during the Christmas period when her life was cruelly cut short by the horrific and senseless actions of Connor Chapman.

"Though impossible to comprehend, Chapman’s actions were not a random or inexplicable act.

"Instead, they were a deliberate attempt on the lives of Jake Duffy and Keiran Salkeld, in the culmination of the ongoing feud between rival gangs from the Woodchurch Estate – which Chapman was affiliated – and the Ford Estate.

"Chapman had planned the attack.

"He'd obtained the Skorpion gun, arrived in Wallasey just before 9pm and stayed in the area of the Lighthouse Pub for nearly three hours before he fired the fatal shots.

“After the shooting, Chapman met up with Thomas Waring and together worked to cover up his crime.

“However, their attempts to evade facing up to the awful crime Chapman committed were prevented by the meticulous investigation by Merseyside Police.

"This vital evidence meant the CPS and the prosecution team were able to present a strong case to the jury and see Chapman and Waring convicted.

"The loss of Elle Edwards is keenly felt by those who knew and loved her, and by the entire community.

"I, and the entire Crown Prosecution Service, extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Elle Edwards.

"We know nothing can make up for this loss, but we hope the convictions will bring some comfort."